


Epiphany

by wordsalad



Category: Meryl Streep/Don Gummer RPF, STRUMMER - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M, PWP, RPF, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-01-10
Packaged: 2018-03-06 23:45:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3152792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsalad/pseuds/wordsalad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was the little things that accumulated over the years. The little things that she thought were forgiven. The little things that he thought she didn't notice. The little things that they thought were forgotten. But they never forgave, she noticed everything, and they never forgot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Epiphany

**Author's Note:**

> This is fiction folks. All mistakes are mine. English is not my native tongue, and this is un-betaed.

_From give and take and still somehow,_   
_It's love's illusions that I recall_   
_I really don't know love,_   
_I really don't know love at all._

 

He never in a million years thought this would happen, and she felt the same. She mulled it over and over in her head, how did they end up where they were today? What happened? How can two people who loved each other so much end up hating one another?

It was the little things that accumulated over the years. The little things that she thought were forgiven. The little things that he thought she didn't notice. The little things that they thought were forgotten. But they never forgave, she noticed everything, and they never forgot. And then one fateful night, it all blew over. Just like that. It felt like all these years they've been running, and then one day they just couldn't continue with the journey anymore. Two weeks after, he received the signed papers. It was hard to comprehend as to why his wife gave up so easily. It was even harder to explain why he just agreed and did nothing to rectify things. But it occurred to him that the struggle they’d been in had been going on for years. They just ignored it the best they could, but a mess as huge as it was couldn’t be kept in the closet forever. One night, two weeks, thirty seven years of marriage.  
  
 _'I'm too old for this..'_ He remembered thinking when he received the papers. He was drained. He felt hollow. The emptiness and hurt he felt was ineffable, and his wife felt the same, albeit he didn’t know. He didn't have it in him to still fight for what they had. He felt like he'd been fighting for them all his life like a soldier that's been to a never ending war. He remembered reading somewhere that a real soldier knew when to give up, and his wife felt the same, albeit, he didn’t know. So he signed beside her name. She signed hoping he wouldn't. She gave up but couldn't deny that a sprig of hope was buried deep inside her million-pieces-of-a-heart. It was there, but she was too tired and too cynical to cling on the little sprig. It was futile, she thought. The clipped sheets of paper were filed and then the whole world was blown away. People seemed to stop and stood as they watched the tragedy that unfolded each day with their mouths agape. They never thought in a million years this would happen.

Everyone was asking, 'What went wrong?' 'What happened?' 'There goes my believing in forever.' 'I thought they'd make it until the end.' But they did make it. It was just everyone had a different concept of the end. It was their love story’s end. It was amazing while it lasted. They had their share of highest of highs, and the lowest of low. But what could possibly be beneath this one mountain of a bump on their road? Hurt. Possibly more hurt, and disappointments, and promises that had been broken over and over. They were done. No more Mr. & Mrs. Gummer. No more 'Us'. What remained was a broken him and a devastated her.

It was a sunny day when she decided she'd visit their place in Connecticut. She got the house from their settlement but she never bothered to stay in the property. She didn't have the heart nor the energy. Contrary to popular belief, she was not brave. Far from it. Too many memories. Too much heartache. Too much of everything they shared for almost four decades.

The first time she visited after the end of their thirty-seven years journey, she thought she'd pass out. She couldn't breathe. It was too much too soon and so she left.

But today, she felt like she could handle it--that it was the right time. It's been two years--the longest two years in her life, she felt. Brown and read and orange leaves scattered on the grassy path leading towards the pond. She closed her eyes as she inhaled the scent of the pond mixed with the aroma of the trees and the grass she carefully stepped on. She tried to block out all the images and the vivid memories that flooded her mind. The smell. It was the smell of their happiness submerged in the past. The kids running around. Him and her chasing their kids. Him hugging her as he whispered nonsense things on her ear. Her laughing out loud over his silly jokes and one-liners. Him taking care of her when she was very pregnant with Grace. Her taking care of him as he gingerly walked the ground beside their pond after his hip surgery.

And then she slowly opened her eyes and that was when she saw his frame, sitting by the dock, his back facing her. He probably heard her coming or he must have felt her presence because before she knew it, he was facing her, a soft smile was painted on his lips.

She had forgotten what his smile made her feel, until that day. Her lips curled upward and she bit her lower lip. She nodded as if to say hi then tilted her head to the side and smiled at him.

"Hi.." he softly said when he finally made his way to where she stood.

Her eyes were twinkling. She knew that moment that she was still in love with this man whose eyes seemed to radiate warmth and something she couldn't quite put her finger to, "Hello, Don." she whispered.

 

FIN.


End file.
